Chapter 52

The Fire Rages Within (Part 2)

“Two of the defenders Your Imperial Majesty. They were putting up quite a fight and I thought you might like to… Decide their fate.” replied the general with an ugly smirk on his face that made his scar look even more grotesque.

“And if I’m not mistaken, this is Keth Wenlu? Famous meat-head of the now retired Shaela’s Stormers.”

Keth stood up and walked up to the glass, glaring in to Korv’s eyes. “You’re lucky that this glass is between us, otherwise I’d snap your neck like a twig!”

Korv roared with laughter. “Moving on shall we?”

Alfran heard the footsteps approaching and looked in to the face of his emperor’s murderer. Saarang had not only been his emperor, he had been his friend. He owed everything to Saarang, he was responsible for freeing him from a life of servitude. And now he was dead.

“Alfran!” called out Korv, as if addressing an old friend. “I take it the quarters are to your liking? It can’t be any worse than what you used to live in?”

He ignored the man’s barbs. He was trying to goad him and he was not going to let him.

“How does it feel Alfran?” Korv continued, “Knowing that you were less than thirty feet away when I slid my knife into the old man’s heart. He tried to stop me you know, but he was too weak!”

Alfran launched himself at the glass in a rage, smashing his fists into the thick, impenetrable wall. “Sod off you Gronyx-head! If you’re going to kill us, get it over with already!”

“Oh no.” chuckled Korv as he walked away with a triumphant swagger, “I’m not going to kill you. I have other plans for you.”

He started to climb the stairs and stopped a few steps up. “I believe you’ve had experience in the field Alfran. Perhaps you could tell the Helsian dog what to expect.”

Alfran watched the emperor disappear. The rage burning deep within his soul.

“What did he mean Alfran?” asked Keth.

Alfran sat down, fire still raging within. Yet he was terrified, his life had gone full-circle. Korv had done the one thing worse than killing him.

“Pit-fighting.” he replied, “The emperor is going to reopen the fighting pits.”